Diwali 2019: Jains celebrate this day as Lord Mahavir’s nirvana

Jains celebrate Diwali by offering laddoos to Lord Mahavir, as it is this day that the 24th and last Tirthankara of Jainism attained moksha (liberation) at Pawapur in Bihar about 2,500 years ago. The day is also called Lord Mahavir’s Nirvana Kalyanak Mahotsav for the physical death and final nirvana of Mahavir as he revitalised the religion. Jain scriptures call Diwali as Dipalikaya or light leaving the body, that the earth and the heavens were illuminated with lamps to mark the occasion of Lord Mahavir’s enlightenment. The celebrations start two days before Diwali on Dhanteras, which is the day of renunciation by Bhagwan Mahavir. The community meditates on the day of Diwali. To shoo away negativity, they sprinkle rice and mustard after worship. They offer prayers so that they can spend lives happily, peacefully and joyfully in the right direction. Their celebrations are slightly similar to Hindus, such as the lighting of lamps and offering of prayers to Goddess Lakshmi, but the prime focus is on worshipping Lord Mahavir.